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More younger Nigerians are using drugs – CADAM Coordinator

November 9, 2012 : Motunrayo Aboderin

The National Coordinator, Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry, Dr. Dokun Adedeji, in this interview with MOTUNRAYO ABODERIN, says drug abuse is becoming rampant among teenagers. He urges parents to take note of some warning signs.

How frequent do you have teenagers enrolling into your rehabilitation programme?

Our ministry admits beneficiaries twice a year (April and September), we do have some teenagers, and young adults in their early 20’s say out of 10 new beneficiaries, there are three or four in this category.

Is addiction now common with teenagers?

Yes and it is very frightening. Drug users are getting younger and daring experimenting with all manners of drugs.

What is responsible for this?

The unfortunate thing is that there is no single cause. From our experiences, we have found a whole lot of reasons for this unfortunate development.

The family unit and cohesion is broken down. Second, technology has opened a gateway to information, which in itself is good, but this also allows for abuse prompting all manners of experimentation. Peer pressure is a significant factor. Quest for material possession has increased drug experimentation and use tendency. Breakdown in the moral fabric of the society. Proliferation of cultic groups in our higher institutions. These are just a few of the factors that we have identified in the causation of drug use, abuse and addiction.

Are parents to blame for this problem?

It will be rather simplistic to blame parents solely for this problem but the truth really is that they carry about 60 per cent of the blame in my opinion. Also to be blamed are the general society, the church, the school and indeed, the individual who went into drugs.

Can a child who was an addict have a better life?

Absolutely yes and those who have passed through our programme give us the confidence to say so because their lifestyles post-drug use has proved that. Many passed their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination whilst with us and have gone on to become graduates today and doing well. No doubt, at all, there is a great future out there for them if they quickly and voluntarily quit drug use.

How are children lured into using drugs?

Some begin to use drugs from watching close family members like parents, uncles use drugs before them. Some are lured by their friends and in experimenting with it, they become addicted. Some through the globalisation of drugs like alcohol in advertisement, they get lured whilst some may be bullied to try it by older friends and that could be it.

What are some of the common drugs used by these teenagers and young adults?

They most times start with alcohol and cigarette to “graduate” into marijuana (Indian hemp), heroin and cocaine. They also use synthetic drugs like madrax. Let me say that probably one of the commonest drug of abuse today amongst this age group is cough syrup, which is sometimes mixed with soft drink! We are discovering many more, which seemed normally innocuous. .

How can a parent who has a drug –addicted child deal with the issue?

I encourage parents to spend more quality time with their children and talk about social issues. Parents need to watch closely their children, this does not mean intruding into their lives and if they suspect drug use, they must be open to admit this and if they have such a close relationship with the affected child, they should discuss the issue and jointly agree to seek professional help. It is much better than live a denial or fear of what friends will say about our children and it becomes uncontrollable.

What role does your organisation play?

CADAM is a Christian NGO that supports treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. We are also involved in advocacy in schools and churches. We have three centres-one for women and two for men where we rehabilitate the people for a period of six months to one year. Also during this period, they go through vocational training to equip them for independent living. Above all, they are spiritually equipped to meet with all life’s challenges trusting in themselves and in God to support and help them.

Do you have enough volunteers?

No, not in the least. At the moment, we have about 10 and we need more volunteers to help us with the work. There is so much to do to guide our young people but not enough volunteers.

What is your advice to parents?

Parents must spend quality time with children to establish genuine relationship which enables them to hear directly from these children and where no discussion is out –of-bounds. It is better to know and help them deal with their challenges than experience the turmoil of their waywardness. Economic pressure is tearing apart the fabric of family cohesion and so, parents must decide whether they want to pursue wealth and forfeit the future of their children or make the necessary sacrifice to have an intact family. They must make that decision.

What are some warning signs a child who is an addict exhibits?

Many parents have been able to detect early drug use in their children and help such children seek help and leave drugs. These are some of the signs to look out for. Physical deterioration-a child usually clean and proper about dressing becomes careless and dishevelled, rude and abusive, irritable and easily annoyed.

Tendency towards violent conduct; wearing dark glasses all the time even within the house; changing friends frequently; playing truancy in school; falling academic grades; tendency for secrecy and playing loud music; and wearing strong perfumes; becoming distant from family members.

This societal problem bore down to the parents, many of them are busy chasing money to the deterrement of their family. They end up using the money to rehabilitate the children and to bail them from police stations and court of law because of crimes committed as a result of drug abuse. Government is bad, but parents too have 60% share of the blame.

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